Once again, thank you to my lovely reviewers! I really love both of you. xDD;
But it does fuel me to keep writing, and I really do enjoy this story. The stories rating will go up to M, for obvious reasons being flash backs and Zack's probably gonna get some smecks. XD
Reno: Yo, Setsuna doesn't own anything yo.
Setsuna: Nope! Not even my computer! ; ;
Zack awoke to sky blue eyes staring down at him. It helped relieve what shock he was experiencing from the dream he had. No, not a dream, they were memories. "What's up Cloudy?" Zack asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Cloud chuckled a bit and tilted his head slightly to one side. "Sephiroth sent me to wake you. Apparently you missed a meeting scheduled for this morning."
Zack groaned, lying back against the bed. "That was this morning? Shit, what time is it?" He sat up quickly and his mouth fell open. It was lunch time already? Looking around he noticed Shadow wasn't besides him and looked at Cloud worriedly. Cloud smiled a bit at Zack's worried look. "She went to some classes with me, and is getting you lunch." Zack's mouth opened a bit in surprise. "Does she remember anything?"
Cloud paused thoughtfully, and nodded a bit. "She remembers materia now, and a bit about ShinRa and the rank she held. She also remembers the layout of the buildings." Zack looked a bit curious, but got distracted as the door opened and Shadow stepped in carrying a large paper bag that smelled strongly of food. Jumping up, Zack ran over and hugged Shadow tightly, earning a string of curses from the girl's lips.
"You shouldn't leave without telling me!" He reprimanded with a serious look. Shadow raised an eyebrow, "I'm an adult Zack. I can do as I please." Zack pouted and took the bag of food from her arms, "No you can't while I'm in charge of you." He set the bag down and took out the sandwiches she had gotten them. "That ones mine, the burger is yours and this one is Clouds." She said with a small grin. Zack took the hamburger and opened it with surprise. "How'd you know?"
Shadow looked up as she handed Cloud his chicken sandwich, and shrugged a bit. "I don't know. I don't like anything on my hamburgers either." Zack smiled softly, maybe she did remember him. Not completely but she knew things about him that she couldn't explain. He couldn't remember her completely either, but perhaps they could remember together. Together…
He shook his head at the thought. He didn't like Shadow romantically. He loved Aerith. Hell, he was going to marry Aerith one day. Just because Shadow had possibly been something to him in the past didn't mean it would change his future. Looking up as he began eating his food, he watched Cloud and Shadow discuss their food – Shadow arguing hers was better then Cloud's. A small smile twitched on his lips as the blond pouted a bit but ignored the girl's teasing. Or tried to, that is.
A small amused laugh escaped his full lips, earning the two's attention. "So, Sephiroth wanted to see me when?" He asked the blond as he finished up his food. "As soon as you were done with lunch." Cloud responded with a light grin. Zack groaned a bit, and looked at Shadow before moving to ruffle her hair, "Thanks for the food princess."
Shadow let out an indignant huff, glaring up at him with a pout. "I wish you would stop calling me that." Zack laughed a bit and shook his head, "I bet you secretly like it!" Shadows pout faltered then, a small blush rising on her cheeks. "I do not! You're such a…gah!" She threw her arms in the air and flopped back onto the bed besides Cloud who was snickering a bit. "Don't encourage him!" She whined, smacking Cloud's side lightly. Cloud smirked a bit, "There is no discouraging him. He calls me Cloudy, Cloudy-boy, spikey, and Chocobo-head." He stated with a small frown of his own.
Shadow laughed a bit, and moved a hand to ruffle his hair, "I'm sorry." Zack had been watching the two with amusement before noticing that Shadow had picked up on his classic hair-ruffling technique. Or, that's what he called it. Smiling he moved over once more and, 'Awwhed!' before running out of the room while dodging various flying objects.
"How's the mission going, Zackary?" Sephiroth asked, an amused look on his face. Zack sighed as he tossed Sephiroth's stress ball up and down in the air, squeezing it occasionally. "Good I guess. I mean, she's remembering things quickly enough." Sephiroth didn't fail to notice the sound of disappointment in Zack's voice.
"Are you not…happy about that?" Sephiroth asked sounding slightly confused. Zack sighed, moving to sit up on the couch, squeezing the stress ball in his hand a few times in thought. "Yes…I'm happy that she's remembering. But I'm not helping her remember. Cloud is…I feel like, I don't know Seph." Zack said with a loud sigh. Sephiroth quirked an eyebrow curiously but licked his lips before he began to speak.
"Zackary…I take it you're beginning to remember things about Shadow?" His head was tilted in curiosity and Zack looked up with surprise. "Yeah, do you know how the hell I know her? Last night I had this dream of my first day in infantry training. I remember I had gotten beat by a third class, I just didn't know it was Shadow." A small smile was placed on Sephiroth's lips as he looked at the young man in front of him.
"When you first received mako injection upon entering the third class, you initially remembered her for the most part." He began slowly, his eyes moving to the ceiling thoughtfully. "You reached second class quicker then anticipated. With the following injections you forgot completely." Zack let out a frustrated noise and Sephiroth looked at him once again. "I'm not completely sure if it alone was simply the mako, or Hojo simply trying to interfere."
"That's not what I want to know Seph." Zack said with a frown, eminent of his frustration. "What I want to know is, what was she to me?" Sephiroth watched Zack for a few moments, noting how Zack shifted uncomfortably wondering what he was thinking. A minute went by before Sephiroth answered. "It's not my place to tell you Zackary." He ignored Zack's groans of protest as he continued, talking over the noises. "If I were to tell you, you wouldn't believe me or you would go through a memory relapse, remembering everything you once knew and undoubtingly pass out for days. I'm afraid you're just going to have to let nature take its course and remember on your own."
Zack glared at Sephiroth, a huff of annoyance escaping his lips. Why couldn't Sephiroth just let him pass out and miss a few days of work? Couldn't he see how missing a chunk of his past was affecting him? However in the midst's of his mental rantings, something clicked in his head. "Has Shadow received any mako injections lately?"
Sephiroth looked up in surprise, and grabbed the girl's file, flipping through it. "Yes…she undergoes monthly mako treatments such as myself. Though, I don't think it has anything to do with her forgetting what happened. The doctor that talked to her seemed to think it was caused by a sudden case of Post Traumatic Stress. Many SOLDIERs undergo this, and sometimes have to leave ShinRa. I wouldn't expect Shadow to have a mental emotional scarring, but apparently something traumatic happened in the attack that she doesn't want to remember."
Zack studied the general for a moment, "If it was so traumatic, why should we make her remember?" Sephiroth sighed, standing and moving a gloved hand through his long silver hair. "It's not that easy Zackary. The mind is a complicated thing. We as humans only use ten percent of it. You probably only use about nine." The general ignored the pouting that was rewarded from his teasing.
"The point is that she's been through traumatic events before. Killing people, sometimes even torturing them, despite that often being the Turks area of expertise. So, until she's ready she won't remember exactly what happened. All we are trying to do is find out what she does remember that might be of some sort of clue as to who attacked her and what information they were after. Why I put you in charge of her should have been obvious. But because it's not, I will point it out to you." Sephiroth turned to look at him in the eyes. Zack could feel those green mako eyes searching his, for what though, he didn't know.
"For someone to remember something traumatic and eventually get over it, they have to be comfortable. I don't just mean the room temperature either. I mean that she has to feel safe, and she must trust you. The fact that she is starting to remember things points that she does trust you at some level. She has forgotten much of you, as you have forgotten her. But I'm sure you'll both figure it out eventually."
Zack hated how Sephiroth knew more then him and wasn't letting him know what had went on in his and Shadow's past. It was utterly annoying and disruptive that when his phone rang he nearly jumped five feet. Looking at the called I.D. he smiled seeing Aerith's name and flipped his phone open, "Hey babe."
Aerith giggled from on the other line, shaking her head. "Hey to you too! I haven't seen you in awhile Zack. Where have you been?" Zack sighed, smiling slightly, "They keep working my ass off babe. But if you want I have time to come down this afternoon. Would that be okay?" He asked curiously, looking around the halls in boredom. "Yes! That'd be great. I can't wait to see you." She said excitedly. Zack chuckled a bit and smiled softly, "Me either, look I've got to go. I'll see you soon kay? Love ya." "Love you too Zack." She responded.
As Zack hung up his phone he jumped when a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. "Your girlfriend?" When he looked up, it was Shadow. Her lips were pulled upwards into a knowing smirk. He groaned a bit, hands moving to his hips, "So what if it was?" Shadow grinned a bit, the first time he had seen it. "Nothing, I just think it's cute that the puppy is in puppy-love." Zack pouted, but then paused a bit at the nickname. "How'd you know my nickname?"
Shadow paused, nibbling on her lower lip in thought. "Because we knew one another awhile ago Zack." Zack looked at her in surprise and stepped closer to her. "What do you remember?" He asked softly, a hand on her shoulder. The nibbling at her lip continued before she shrugged his hand off. "Not much just that we were friends." She said with a small smile. Zack felt his lips curving to return the smile. "I don't remember that yet. I remember when we first met and you kicked my ass."
Shadow looked up at him curiously and grinned, before she doubled over one hand hovering over her temple. Zack quickly moved to crouch besides her, gently easing her to stand. "Are you alright Shadow?" She didn't respond for a few moments before she looked at him with a small nod. "Yeah…sorry just had a flashback is all of what you were talking about."
Zack smiled and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You okay princess?" He asked softly, watching her. He felt her body tense under his administrations and used his thumb to gently caress her cheek. Her skin was so soft…
"I'm fine." She said softly moving her head away from him, a small blush tinting her cheeks causing Zack to grin.
"Alright, I have to head into town for something." He said moving a hand to rub his neck.
"To see your girlfriend right?" She asked suddenly, not looking at him.
Zack rubbed his neck, suddenly nervous about answering. "Yeah, I haven't seen her in awhile." Shadow nodded once, before she began walking down the hall without another word. Zack watched her for a moment, lifting an eyebrow curiously but deciding he'd have to wait until later to figure out if something was bothering the girl or not.
Aerith was ecstatic to see Zack. He was more then happy to see her as well. They chatted for awhile, talking about what was going on currently with both of them. Aeriths flower sales were doing good and Zack told her about his current mission and how he was slightly upset at how Cloud could make her feel safe and secure and he couldn't. Aerith just smiled and told him he was too used to being the knight in shining armor and maybe Shadow was falling in love with Cloud. When Aerith had said this, Zack's eyes widened in surprise. "You seem upset." Aerith said quietly to Zack who shook his head for a moment. "Just surprised…I wouldn't have thought Shadow would fall in love with Cloudy-boy." Aerith chuckled softly, and gently cupped his chin. "You worry about everyone else too much Zack."
As they kissed, Zack's mind began slipping and suddenly it wasn't Aerith he was kissing. It became Shadow as he slipped into a past memory he had long forgotten.
It was night out and Shadow and Zack were laughing loudly as they took the elevator back to their apartments. It was Zack's birthday so they had gone out to celebrate with Reno and Kunsel to a well known bar in the center of Midgar. Needless to say both of them had a few drinks under their belts and Zack's arm was around Shadows waist to help her maneuver through the halls without falling on her face.
"You're so clumsy princess." Zack teased as they came to a stop in front of Shadow's apartment. Shadow laughed quietly and fumbled in her pocket for her keycard. Zack who was slightly more sober then her took her hand and helped her slide the thin plastic card through the LED. As the light turned green Shadow stumbled inside, Zack following her and closing the door behind them.
"Will you stay with me tonight Zack?" Shadow asked suddenly, causing Zack to move to sit besides her with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, I mean otherwise someone might find you dead upside down hanging from the ceiling or something." Zack joked, earning a light punch from Shadow. She was watching him quietly, and Zack smiled and ruffled her hair. Her hand came up to take his, their digits intertwining. Zack took an intake of breath, and suddenly Shadow's lips were on his own.
They were so soft…like silk. His free hand moved to wrap his arm around her waist and bring her close to him so their chests were pressing together. Her lips pressed firmer against his, and he took the hint by allowing his tongue to trace her lips. They parted and he immediately delved into the warmth her mouth provided. She tasted amazing. He could taste the mixture of strawberries and liquor in her mouth, her hands moving to run through his hair.
It was then Zack snapped back into reality. This wasn't Shadows mouth on his, and there was no taste of strawberries or liquor. It made him pull back surprisingly fast, to the point Aerith looked hurt. "What's wrong Zack?" She asked softly. He shook his head, hands moving to rub his temples. "I'm sorry…I'm just really stressed." It was a bad, blatant lie. But he felt a sudden surge of relief as Aerith smiled knowingly at him. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep then?" Zack silently thanked the gods that Aerith didn't question him further.
It shouldn't have surprised Cloud that neither Zack nor Shadow was in the apartment when he returned after his afternoon classes. What did surprise him was when Shadow came in, looking extremely worn out. "Whats up?" He asked softly, glancing up from his text book. "I was just training is all. I figured there was no point in just lying around and becoming weak." Cloud looked at her and raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "Do you know where Zack is?" He asked closing the book as he moved to sit next to her.
She looked at the ceiling, and Cloud noticed she was slightly irritated. "He went to go see his girlfriend." Cloud nodded a bit, and smiled slightly. "Are you jealous?" Shadow sat up and glared at him, and he stared right back into those crimson eyes. She made a noise of irritation, but said nothing for a long time. The silence that passed over them was not uncomfortable at all, oddly enough. But Cloud felt a small smile pull at his lips when Shadow finally answered with a hesitant no.
Cloud quirked an eyebrow and leaned closer to examine her, and smiled as she shifted under his scrutinizing. "You're lying." He said quietly with another smile, earning another sound of annoyance. "If you like Zack, you should just tell him." He stated firmly, with a nod. Shadow merely shook her head for a moment. "Zack and I used to date awhile ago. I only just remembered today. The mako injections he had made him forget me. We haven't talked in over a year." She replied to Cloud who frowned.
"You're talking now, besides just because you won't necessarily win his heart right away doesn't mean you should give up." Cloud responded stubbornly. Shadow let out a loud sigh and looked at Cloud with a weak forced smile. "I gave up on Zack awhile ago, Cloud. There was no point if he didn't remember me. Not to mention he found someone who makes him happy. I don't want to ruin that." Cloud sighed a bit, and gently took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him.
"I hate to say this, but you shouldn't just give up. I bet you could make him happy too. Gaia, you're making me sound like Zack." Cloud said as he moved his hand away and let out a small laugh. Shadow soon joined in, shaking her head. They looked at one another for a moment, and slowly they both leaned in and captured one another's lips. Neither of them noticed the violet eyes watching from the doorway.
Baahhaaha! Once again, another cliffhanger! I got to say personally as a writer I love cliffhangers. XD
Yes yes, hate me all you want. -grin-